Yale Divinity School to host discussion on future of Christianity in America

NEW HAVEN -- The future of Christianity in the United States will be the topic of a public conversation Thursday at Yale Divinity School and live-streamed on the Internet, according to a release.

New York Times op-ed columnist Ross Douthat and author Diana Butler Bass will discuss the topic, which will be moderated by Bob Abernethy, host of PBS's "Religion and Ethics Newsweekly," and Lillian Daniel, author of "When 'Spiritual but Not Religious' Is Not Enough."

In his book, "Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics," Douthat claims that "traditional Christian teachings have been warped into justifications for ... anti-intellectualism ... selfishness and greed" because of a "choose-your-own-Jesus mentality" in which people "focus only on whichever Christ they find most congenial."

Butler Bass' book, "Christianity After Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening," looks at how Christianity in the United States has lost the "cultural influence and numerical strength it once enjoyed," according to the release. "Bass suggests that ancient traditions need to be reformed renewed, and reimagined in ways that 'make sense to contemporary people,' according to the organizers."